| God doesn't want us simply to sign up. He wants us | | | | up earlier, and I'm already sleep-deprived. |
| to show up. Pastor Dary Northrop | | | | Health clubs thrive on this results-focused mentality. |
| I'm kind of a "sound bite" guy when I listen to | | | | Signing up for the membership is easy; showing up |
| sermons. | | | | each day is a different matter. Substance abuse |
| I seem to recall the central points of a message | | | | rehab programs are filled with repeat clients who |
| when I can distill them into a single statement. This | | | | want the results but don't know how to show up |
| notion of "signing up vs. showing up" summarizes a lot | | | | when it gets hard. |
| of thinking about service. | | | | Showing up is about the process, the small steps that |
| I think a lot about the notion of living a "substantial | | | | feel insignificant in isolation. It requires doing the right |
| life." It seems like "showing up" might be one mark of | | | | things, being the right sort of person, even when the |
| substantial living. | | | | results are uncertain or seem impossibly distant. |
| Signing up is easy, partly because it focuses on | | | | I'm committed to ride my hand cycle three thousand |
| results. Would you like to see an end to childhood | | | | miles this year. Wonderful. Now, will I get on the bike |
| hunger? Sure-who wouldn't? Do the elderly need help | | | | every day and ride twenty to twenty-five miles? |
| with household chores? Obviously. World peace? I'm | | | | I want to follow Jesus. Great-I signed up. I'm on the |
| in! | | | | team, I get to wear the t-shirt. Now what? |
| Everyone wants the same positive results, so it's | | | | How will my life be different? What commitment will |
| pretty easy to enlist support when all it takes is a | | | | I make to serve when it's tough, to love someone |
| name on the petition. We all like being associated with | | | | who's not very lovable? What sacrifice will I make to |
| the outcomes of worthy causes. | | | | show His face in my everyday interactions? How will |
| The same principle works on a personal level. I should | | | | I show up? |
| spend more time reading scripture. I need to weigh | | | | It doesn't do much good to have a leader who walks |
| less, eat better, get in shape. All desirable | | | | on water unless you're willing to follow in His |
| results-pretty much everyone agrees. | | | | footsteps. And that means sometimes you have to |
| Showing up is different. Saturday morning raking | | | | step out of the boat. |
| leaves for the widow next door interferes with the | | | | How do you experience the difference between |
| tee time. Quiet time with God's word means getting | | | | 'signing up' and 'showing up'? |